Recent studies show that there is a correlation between water level and energy absorption values for the studied wave energy converters: the absorption decreases when the water levels deviate from average. The situation appears during tides when the water level changes significantly. The main objective of the paper is to present a first attempt to increase the energy absorption during tides by designing and realizing a small-scale model of a point absorber equipped with a device that is able to adjust the length of the rope connected to the generator. The adjustment is achieved by a screw that moves upwards in the presence of low tides and downwards in the presence of high tides. Numerical results as well as experimental tests suggest that the solution adopted to minimize the tidal effect on the power generation shows potential for further development. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.